Access Node Controller, an Apparatus for an Access Node, an Access Node for a Mobile Communication System, a Mobile Communication System, a Method and a Computer Program for an Access Node

ABSTRACT

Examples provide an access node controller, an apparatus for an access node, an access node for a mobile communication system, a mobile communication system, method and computer program for an access node. The access node controller is configured to determine one or more transmission parameters for a first access node of a mobile communication system. The mobile communication system further comprises a second access node. The access node controller comprises one or more interfaces configured to obtain priority area information of the second access node. The second access node has priority access in the priority area compared to the first access node. The access node controller comprises a control module configured to control the one or more interfaces and configured to determine the one or more transmission parameters for the first access node based on the priority area information of the second access node and based on an access condition at a priority area boundary.

FIELD

Examples relate to an access node controller, an apparatus for an accessnode, an access node for a mobile communication system, a mobilecommunication system, a method and a computer program for an accessnode, and in particular, but not exclusively, to a concept and mechanismfor interference coordination in a spectrum or licensed shared accesssystem of a mobile communication system.

BACKGROUND

With the growing demand for wireless services, Radio Frequency (RF)circuits become more and more versatile. For example, the number ofwireless access technologies and the frequency range in which mobilecommunication systems are active are growing, wherein a physical sizeand power consumption of RF units is decreasing. For example, 5^(th)Generation (5G) systems may operate using mm-wave technology, e.g. theU.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved spectrum for 5G,including the 28, 37, and 39 GHz bands.

The FCC also released a Report and Order on Apr. 17, 2015 outlining therules for operating wireless devices in the 3.5 GHz band that spans from3550-3700 MHz. FCC released this spectrum for sharing with incumbents.The incumbents (mainly DoD, Department of Defense) get priority in thatband and it can be used by broadband devices when (and where) incumbentsare not using the spectrum. There are two additional tiers of spectrumusers in addition to the incumbents namely the Priority Access (PA) andGeneral Authorized Access (GAA) users. The Priority Access Licenses(PAL) users get protection from GAA users, which is similar tounlicensed spectrum.

The FCC also mandates a Spectrum Access System (SAS) that willcoordinate the spectrum use between the incumbents, PAL and GAA users.The SAS is central to this band, and no tier 2 or tier 3 device canoperate unless it is in constant communication with the SAS and receivesinformation of when and where to use the 3.5 GHz channels. The SAS hasto be approved by the FCC before it can be deployed. Since the SAS isthe central coordinator for this spectrum, it needs to have a lot ofinformation about the network and devices. In fact, FCC mandates most ofthis information to be contained in the SAS. FCC's Report and Orderoutlines a sample system with SAS(s). If there are multiple SASs, theyare supposed to be synchronized with each other. However, the FCC doesnot specify details of how the SAS have to be implemented and whatinformation has to be synchronized.

In Europe a Licensed Shared Access (LSA) concept has been proposed inwhich a first tier supports incumbent users and a second tier supportslicensee users, e.g. at 2.3-2.4 GHz (cf. Long Term Evolution Band 40).Incumbents are protected using a data base at an LSA controllercontrolling the second tier access nodes.

Spectrum management entities like SAS (3.5 GHz in USA) or LSA (2.3 GHzin EU) are new entities that are now part of the wireless communicationsnetwork. SAS and LSA concepts are not limited to a certain frequencyband and may also be applied to any other frequency band, typicallybetween 0 Hz and 1 THz. The SAS system is also known as CitizenBroadband Radio Service (CBRS).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Some examples of circuits, apparatuses, methods and/or computer programswill be described in the following by way of example only, and withreference to the accompanying figures, in which

FIG. 1 illustrates examples of an access node controller, an apparatusfor an access node, an access node and a mobile communication system;

FIG. 2 shows an example of a SAS for spectrum management in accordancewith a standard, such as FCC standard;

FIG. 3 shows an example of an LSA system;

FIG. 4 depicts an illustration of definitions of a GAA exclusion zone, atransitional zone, an open zone and a PAL protection area as defined inFCC in an example;

FIG. 5 shows an example of a transmit power calculation in an open zone;

FIG. 6 shows an example of a transmit power calculation in an exclusionzone;

FIG. 7 shows an example of a transmit power calculation in atransitional zone;

FIG. 8 further illustrates the example of the transmit power calculationin the transitional zone;

FIG. 9 shows a view chart illustration of simulation results withrespect to a capacity comparison between an example and a centralizedmethod for transmit power calculation, the dependency on a number of GAAand a number of PALs is also shown;

FIG. 10 shows a view chart in a bar graph illustration of simulationresults with respect to a capacity comparison between an example and acentralized method for transmit power calculation, the dependency on anumber of GAA assuming 5 PALs is shown;

FIG. 11 illustrates a coverage map in an example when using centralizedGAA power allocation;

FIG. 12 illustrates a coverage map in another example when usingdistributed GAA power allocation; and

FIG. 13 depicts a block diagram of an example of a method fordetermining one or more transmission parameters for a first access nodeof a mobile communication system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various examples will now be described more fully with reference to theaccompanying drawings in which some examples are illustrated. In thefigures, the thicknesses of lines, layers and/or regions may beexaggerated for clarity. Optional components in the Figs. are shownusing broken or dashed lines. Similar reference signs reference similarcomponents throughout the drawings.

Accordingly, while further examples are capable of various modificationsand alternative forms, some particular examples thereof are shown in thefigures and will subsequently be described in detail. However, thisdetailed description does not limit further examples to the particularforms described. Further examples may cover all modifications,equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of thedisclosure. Like numbers refer to like or similar elements throughoutthe description of the figures, which may be implemented identically orin modified form when compared to one another while providing for thesame or a similar functionality.

It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being“connected” or “coupled” to another element, the elements may bedirectly connected or coupled or via one or more intervening elements.If two elements A and B are combined using an “or”, this is to beunderstood to disclose all possible combinations, i.e. only A, only B aswell as A and B. An alternative wording for the same combinations is “atleast one of A and B”. The same applies for combinations of more thantwo elements.

The terminology used herein for the purpose of describing particularexamples is not intended to be limiting for further examples. Whenever asingular form such as “a,” “an” and “the” is used and using only asingle element is neither explicitly or implicitly defined as beingmandatory, further examples may also use plural elements to implementthe same functionality. Likewise, when a functionality is subsequentlydescribed as being implemented using multiple elements, further examplesmay implement the same functionality using a single element orprocessing entity. It will be further understood that the terms“comprises,” “comprising,” “includes” and/or “including,” when used,specify the presence of the stated features, integers, steps,operations, processes, acts, elements and/or components, but do notpreclude the presence or addition of one or more other features,integers, steps, operations, processes, acts, elements, componentsand/or any group thereof.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientificterms) are used herein in their ordinary meaning of the art to which theexamples belong.

Examples relate to networks having access nodes of different categories,also referred to first access nodes and second access nodes herein. Thesecond access nodes have priority access compared to the first accessnode, where such priority access relates to a certain priority area.Such networks are SAS and LAS, to which examples are however notrestricted to, but rather apply to networks having at least one accessnode with priority access over at least one other access node. In someexamples priority access may have different meanings, characteristics,or requirements including i) the priority user has a guaranteed maximuminterference level created by other devices or ii) non-priority devicesmay not operate at all close to the priority user and thus perfectsignal quality is guaranteed, etc.

Examples may address the choice of maximum output power levels foraccess nodes, e.g. General Authorized Access (GAA), users in the contextof SAS based spectrum sharing as defined by FCC in 3.55-3.7 GHz(extensions to >24 GHz and the 3.8-4.2 GHz band are currently underdiscussions in US and UK), LSA, respectively. Examples may guaranteemaximum interference levels to priority access nodes, e.g.Priority-Access-License (PAL) Users.

The terms GAA and first access node, as well as the terms PAL and secondaccess node are used interchangeably herein.

Examples are based on the finding that state of the art SAS/LSAsolutions suggest a centralized approach (SAS central controller iscollecting all information and attributes power levels). Examples mayuse a distributed way such that context information provided to thecentral SAS controller can be reduced, minimized or even (theoretically)eliminated. Examples may therefore enable interference coordination inSAS/LAS or other networks without necessitating mobile network operatorsto share their context information.

Examples may enable distributed power allocation and beamformingapproaches based on the introduction/assumption of “virtual GAA users”,which may help to characterize the worst case and identify maximumtransmission limits. Examples may allow each GAA or access nodeestimating its transmit power and beamforming scheme according to a PALprotection area and the maximum transmit power level for all GAAswithout the need of coordination or location sharing between GAAs andPAL. Examples may keep the aggregated interference from all GAAs to thePAL protection area below a certain threshold. Examples may allowapproximating access nodes' maximum transmit power closely to themaximum system capacity, which can be achieved by sharing all locationinformation.

At least some examples may determine a maximum output power level of agiven GAA user by assuming other “hypothetical GAA” users being locatedjust outside of the Listen before Talk (LBT) minimum distance. LBT is aconcept in which access nodes sense an interference level beforetransmission, and transmit in case the interference level lies below apossibly pre-defined threshold while suspending transmission otherwise.The maximum transmit power of a given GAA user may be determined byassuming that all “hypothetical GAA users” are transmitting at themaximum possible power level. The overall interference at the PALprotection area (at the point closest to the given GAA user) may be keptbelow the maximum allowed level by applying this maximum possible outputpower level.

FIG. 1 illustrates examples of an access node controller 10, anapparatus 10 for an access node, an access node 100 and a mobilecommunication system 300. In the following multiple examples will bedescribed in detail. The described access node controller 10 correspondsto an apparatus 10 for an access node 100. The components of theapparatus 10 are defined as component means which correspond to therespective structural components of the access node controller 10.

FIG. 1 shows an access node controller 10 for determining one or moretransmission parameters of a first access node 100 of a mobilecommunication system 300. Examples also provide an access node 10comprising the access node controller 10 or apparatus 10. A furtherexample is a mobile communication system 300 comprising one or moreexamples of an access node 100. For example, the mobile communicationsystem 300 comprises the first access node 100 and a second access node200, which has priority access in the mobile communication systemcompared to the first access node 100. In some examples the mobilecommunication system 300 may comprise multiple first access nodes 100and multiple second access nodes 200. The second access nodes 200 mayhave priority access in the mobile communication system 300 compared tothe first access nodes 100. The first access nodes 100 may be configuredto sense an interference level in the mobile communication system 300before transmitting and the first access nodes 100 are configured tosuspend transmission if a sensed interference level is above atransmission threshold.

As shown in FIG. 1 the second access node 200 serves an area 20, whichwill also be referred to as priority area 20 in the following and whichmay correspond to a coverage area of the second access node 200. Thefirst access node 100 has a coverage area 120 which may, at least partlyoverlap with the priority area 20 of the second access node 200.

In examples the mobile communication system 300 may correspond to anyRadio Access Technology (RAT). The corresponding access nodes (basestations, relay stations, etc.) may, for example, operate according toany one or more of the following radio communication technologies and/orstandards including but not limited to: a Global System for MobileCommunications (GSM) radio communication technology, a General PacketRadio Service (GPRS) radio communication technology, an Enhanced DataRates for GSM Evolution (EDGE) radio communication technology, and/or aThird Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) radio communicationtechnology, for example Universal Mobile Telecommunications System(UMTS), Freedom of Multimedia Access (FOMA), 3GPP Long Term Evolution(LTE), 3GPP Long Term Evolution Advanced (LTE Advanced), Code divisionmultiple access 2000 (CDMA2000), Cellular Digital Packet Data (CDPD),Mobitex, Third Generation (3G), Circuit Switched Data (CSD), High-SpeedCircuit-Switched Data (HSCSD), Universal Mobile TelecommunicationsSystem (Third Generation) (UMTS (3G)), Wideband Code Division MultipleAccess (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) (WCDMA (UMTS)), HighSpeed Packet Access (HSPA), High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA),High-Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA), High Speed Packet Access Plus(HSPA+), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System-Time-Division Duplex(UMTS-TDD), Time Division-Code Division Multiple Access (TD-CDMA), TimeDivision-Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access (TD-CDMA), 3rdGeneration Partnership Project Release 8 (Pre-4th Generation) (3GPP Rel.8 (Pre-4G)), 3GPP Rel. 9 (3rd Generation Partnership Project Release 9),3GPP Rel. 10 (3rd Generation Partnership Project Release 10), 3GPP Rel.11 (3rd Generation Partnership Project Release 11), 3GPP Rel. 12 (3rdGeneration Partnership Project Release 12), 3GPP Rel. 13 (3rd GenerationPartnership Project Release 13), 3GPP Rel. 14 (3rd GenerationPartnership Project Release 14), 3GPP Rel. 15 (3rd GenerationPartnership Project Release 15), 3GPP Rel. 16 (3rd GenerationPartnership Project Release 16), 3GPP Rel. 17 (3rd GenerationPartnership Project Release 17), 3GPP Rel. 18 (3rd GenerationPartnership Project Release 18), 3GPP 5G, 3GPP LTE Extra, LTE-AdvancedPro, LTE Licensed-Assisted Access (LAA), MuLTEfire, UMTS TerrestrialRadio Access (UTRA), Evolved UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA),Long Term Evolution Advanced (4th Generation) (LTE Advanced (4G)),cdmaOne (2G), Code Division Multiple Access 2000 (Third generation)(CDMA2000 (3G)), Evolution-Data Optimized or Evolution-Data Only(EV-DO), Advanced Mobile Phone System (1st Generation) (AMPS (1G)),Total Access Communication System/Extended Total Access CommunicationSystem (TACS/ETACS), Digital AMPS (2nd Generation) (D-AMPS (2G)),Push-totalk (PTT), Mobile Telephone System (MTS), Improved MobileTelephone System (IMTS), Advanced Mobile Telephone System (AMTS), OLT(Norwegian for Public Land Mobile Telephony), MTD (Swedish abbreviationfor Mobile telephony system D), Public Automated Land Mobile(Autotel/PALM), ARP (Finnish for Autoradiopuhelin, “car radio phone”),NMT (Nordic Mobile Telephony), High capacity version of NTT (NipponTelegraph and Telephone) (Hicap), Cellular Digital Packet Data (CDPD),Mobitex, DataTAC, Integrated Digital Enhanced Network (iDEN), PersonalDigital Cellular (PDC), Circuit Switched Data (CSD), PersonalHandy-phone System (PHS), Wideband Integrated Digital Enhanced Network(WiDEN), iBurst, Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA), also referred to asalso referred to as 3GPP Generic Access Network, or GAN standard),Zigbee, Bluetooth®, Wireless Gigabit Alliance (WiGig) standard, mmWavestandards in general (wireless systems operating at 10-300 GHz and abovesuch as WiGig, IEEE 802.11ad, IEEE 802.11ay, etc.), technologiesoperating above 300 GHz and THz bands, (3GPP/LTE based or IEEE 802.11pand other) Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) and Vehicle-to-X (V2X) andVehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) and Infrastructure-to-Vehicle (I2V)communication technologies, 3GPP cellular V2X, DSRC (Dedicated ShortRange Communications) communication systems such asIntelligent-Transport-Systems and others, etc.

Moreover, the mobile communication system may be used or operated in thecontext of any spectrum management scheme including dedicated licensedspectrum, unlicensed spectrum, (licensed) shared spectrum (such asLSA=Licensed Shared Access in 2.3-2.4 GHz, 3.4-3.6 GHz, 3.6-3.8 GHz andfurther frequencies and SAS=Spectrum Access System in 3.55-3.7 GHz andfurther frequencies). Applicable spectrum bands include IMT(International Mobile Telecommunications) spectrum (including 450-470MHz, 790-960 MHz, 1710-2025 MHz, 2110-2200 MHz, 2300-2400 MHz, 2500-2690MHz, 698-790 MHz, 610-790 MHz, 3400-3600 MHz, etc.). Note that somebands are limited to specific region(s) and/or countries), IMT-advancedspectrum, IMT-2020 spectrum (expected to include 3600-3800 MHz, 3.5 GHzbands, 700 MHz bands, bands within the 24.25-86 GHz range, etc.),spectrum made available under FCC's “Spectrum Frontier” 5G initiative(including 27.5-28.35 GHz, 29.1-29.25 GHz, 31-31.3 GHz, 37-38.6 GHz,38.6-40 GHz, 42-42.5 GHz, 57-64 GHz, 64-71 GHz, 71-76 GHz, 81-86 GHz and92-94 GHz, etc), the ITS (Intelligent Transport Systems) band of 5.9 GHz(typically 5.85-5.925 GHz) and 63-64 GHz, bands currently allocated toWiGig such as WiGig Band 1 (57.24-59.40 GHz), WiGig Band 2 (59.40-61.56GHz) and WiGig Band 3 (61.56-63.72 GHz) and WiGig Band 4 (63.72-65.88GHz), the 70.2 GHz-71 GHz band, any band between 65.88 GHz and 71 GHz,bands currently allocated to automotive radar applications such as 76-81GHz, and future bands including 94-300 GHz and above. Furthermore, thescheme can be used on a secondary basis on bands such as the TV WhiteSpace bands (typically below 790 MHz) where in particular the 400 MHzand 700 MHz bands are promising candidates. Besides cellularapplications, specific applications for vertical markets may beaddressed such as PMSE (Program Making and Special Events), medical,health, surgery, automotive, lowlatency, drones, etc. applications. Notefurthermore that a hierarchical application of the scheme is possible,e.g. by introducing a hierarchical prioritization of usage for differenttypes of users (e.g., low/medium/high priority, etc.), based on aprioritized access to the spectrum e.g. with highest priority to tier-1users, followed by tier-2, then tier-3, etc. users, etc. In examplesother hierarchical approaches are also possible.

Examples may also be applied to different Single Carrier or OFDM flavors(CP-OFDM, SC-FDMA, SC-OFDM, filter bank-based multicarrier (FBMC),OFDMA, etc.) and in particular 3GPP NR (New Radio) by allocating theOFDM carrier data bit vectors to the corresponding symbol resources. Invehicular communications (such as IEEE 802.11p, LTE CV2X, V2V(Vehicle-to-Vehicle), V2I (Vehicle-to-Infrastructure), V2P(Vehicle-to-Person), etc. communications) or other safety relatedcontexts, a priority user may relate to “safety related applications”users while the non-priority users may relate to “non-safety relatedapplications”. Some examples may provide protection of priority users—inorder to protect the correct operation of such safety relatedapplications. Non-safety applications are less critical and a failuremay be tolerated. The same scheme may be employed for any prioritizationof “higher priority applications” vs “lower priority applications” inthe vehicular communications context or any other context.

In some examples the protection can be in three dimensions. For exampleif the spectrum is shared with satellites, drones, or other objectsmoving above ground, the sky above a certain altitude (including thesatellite special slots) would become a priority area or zone and theinterference to satellites due to terrestrial communication might bereduced or even minimized. Here, it may be sufficient in some examplesto impose suitable antenna patterns such that emissions remain in theterrestrial space and do not radiate into space. If themultipath/scattering environment becomes too challenging for some users(at least some emission power may always radiate towards the satellite),this user may be forced to reduce its output power levels, to switch toanother frequency band or similar.

An access node, base station or base station transceiver 100, 200 can beoperable to communicate with one or more active mobile transceivers orterminals and a base station transceiver can be located in or adjacentto a coverage area of another base station transceiver, e.g. a macrocell base station transceiver or small cell base station transceiver.Hence, examples may provide a mobile communication system 300 comprisingone or more mobile transceivers and one or more base stationtransceivers 100, 200, wherein the base station transceivers mayestablish macro cells or small cells, as e.g. pico-, metro-, or femtocells. A mobile transceiver may correspond to a smartphone, a cellphone, user equipment, a laptop, a notebook, a personal computer, aPersonal Digital Assistant (PDA), a Universal Serial Bus (USB)-stick, acar, etc. A mobile transceiver may also be referred to as UE or mobilein line with the 3GPP terminology.

A base station transceiver 100, 200 can be located in the fixed orstationary part of the network or system 300. A base station transceiver100, 200 may correspond to a remote radio head, a transmission point, anaccess point or access node, a macro cell, a small cell, a micro cell, afemto cell, a metro cell, etc. A base station transceiver 100, 200 canbe a wireless interface of a wired network, which enables transmissionof radio signals to a UE or mobile transceiver. Such a radio signal maycomply with radio signals as, for example, standardized by 3GPP or,generally, in line with one or more of the above listed systems. Thus, abase station transceiver 100, 200 may correspond to a NodeB, an eNodeB,a Base Transceiver Station (BTS), an access point, a remote radio head,a transmission point, etc., which may be further divided into a remoteunit and a central unit.

As further shown in FIG. 1 the access node controller 10 comprises oneor more interfaces 12 configured to obtain priority area information ofthe second access node 200 in the mobile communication system 300. Thesecond access node 200 has priority access in a priority area 20compared to the first access node 100. In examples the one or moreinterfaces 12 may correspond to any means for obtaining, receiving,transmitting or providing analog or digital signals or information, e.g.any connector, contact, pin, register, input port, output port,conductor, lane, etc. which allows providing a signal. An interface 12may be wireless or wireline and it may be configured to communicate,i.e. transmit or receive signals or information with further internal orexternal components.

The access node controller 10 comprises a control module 14, which iscoupled to the one or more interfaces 12 and configured to control theone or more interfaces 12. The control module 14 may be configured todetermine the one or more transmission parameters of the first accessnode 100 based on the priority area information of the second accessnode 200 and based on an access condition at a priority area boundary.In examples the control module 14 may be implemented using one or moreprocessing units, one or more processing devices, any means forprocessing, any means for determining, any means for calculating, suchas a processor, a computer or a programmable hardware component beingoperable with accordingly adapted software. In other words, thedescribed function of the control module 14 may as well be implementedin software, which is then executed on one or more programmable hardwarecomponents. Such hardware components may comprise a general purposeprocessor, a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), a micro-controller, etc.

The mobile communication system 300 may further comprise the secondaccess node 200. Examples may use a distributed approach based on thepriority area information such that the first access node 100 is enabledto determine its transmission parameters without knowledge of alllocation information. Hence, there may be a reduced need for a potentialcentral controller, e.g. an SAS controller, to collect and centrallydetermine transmission parametrization for the access nodes in thenetwork (there could be a high number of first and second access nodes)and overall signaling efforts may be reduced as the distribution of theoutcome of the central computation among the access nodes of the networkmay be reduced or even (theoretically) avoided. For example, informationsharing between GAAs may be reduced. As location (and other context)information may be regarded as private information to operators, examplemay allow to keep such private information within the respectiveoperators' network.

At least some examples might not require location information of GAAs tobe shared. For example, each first access node 100, e.g. a GAA, maycalculate its own transmit power or beamforming settings and there mightnot be any need for any central assignments, e.g. by an SAS controller.Some examples may reduce coordination efforts between all GAAs using adistributed approach enabling individual processing in one access nodeonly, e.g. in one GAA base station, which may be more flexible, robustand may have less communication overhead. For example, when usingcentral processing, complexity might not be not scalable as it resultsin N*SA2 messages with information about each base station to be sentwhere N is the number of base stations and S is the number ofcommunication system, e.g. SASs serving the area. Examples may eliminatethese messages and may make the system scalable even for massiveInternet of Things (IoT) and such applications.

In general terms, examples may address interference mitigation solutionsfor spectrum sharing, for example, in 3.5 GHz (US Spectrum Access System(SAS)) and/or 2.3-2.4 GHz in Europe (Licensed Shared Access (LSA)). Forexample, General Authorized Access (GAA) users' power and beamformingmanagement to mitigate the aggregate interference to the Priority AccessLicensee (PAL) protection area may be controlled. The FCC requires thatthe aggregate interference from all GAAs to anywhere along or inside ofthe PAL protection area to be below a certain threshold. However, thelocation of GAAs or PAL will not be shared with each other due toprivacy concerns of the operators.

Examples may use algorithms and methods to protect one or more secondaccess nodes 200 with priority access, e.g PAL users (tier two), fromaggregated interference from other access nodes, e.g. one or more firstaccess nodes 100 or other second access nodes 200, for example PAL orGAA (tier three), users to the priority area 20, e.g. a PAL protectionarea. Such behavior may be considered a mandatory requirement of the FCC16-55A1. While it may be relatively straightforward to design aninterference mitigation algorithm where each network entity and SASknows the complete details of all the base stations (like location, Txpower, etc.), such solution may have drawbacks. For example, operatorsmight not like to share such details—to the point of not using the bandif they are forced to share such information. Any large complex systemthat relies on real-time instantaneous knowledge of the whole network ateach SAS may be inherently un-stable and impractical. A slight delay intransmitting one of the values could result in the system breaking orshutting down and causing interference.

In some examples, the SAS node is outside of a concerned network (e.g.,governed by another operator, etc.) and thus detailed networkconfiguration information would have to be shared with an outside entityto allow central processing. Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) typicallytry to minimize the information to be shared, because it is consideredto be business essential confidential information. Examples may deviatefrom the central concept in which the SAS knows everything about thelocation and power configuration of all clients. In examples, the SASmay rather outline specific rules to be met by client devices and theyorganize themselves using rules and public information about theincumbent/PAL exclusion zones. Examples may avoid any transfer ofconfidential location and configuration information to the SAS (both canbe completely masked). Some examples of access nodes may i) receive SASrules, ii) identify distance to incumbent/PAL “protection zone”, iii)identify client zone in function of the determined distance, iv)identify possible surrounding clients by LBT (Listen Before Talk) andfinally v) select the suitable output power level meeting the protectionzone requirements.

In some embodiments, the access node controller 10 may comprise atransceiver module 16 (shown in FIG. 1 as optional component usingbroken lines), which is configured to transmit and receive wirelesssignals in the mobile communication system 300. The control module 14 iscoupled to the transceiver module 16 and configured to control thetransceiver module 16. The control module 14 may be configured to sensean interference level using the transceiver module 16 and to suspendtransmission of the first access node 100 if a sensed interference levelis above a transmission threshold. In examples the transceiver module 16may comprise typical transceiver components, such as one or moreLow-Noise Amplifiers (LNAs), one or more Power-Amplifiers (PAs), one ormore duplexers, one or more diplexers, one or more filters or filtercircuitry, one or more converters, one or more mixers, accordinglyadapted radio frequency components, etc. The transceiver module 16 maybe coupled to one or more antennas, which may correspond to any transmitand/or receive antennas, such as horn antennas, dipole antennas, patchantennas, sector antennas etc. The antennas may be arranged in a definedgeometrical setting, such as a uniform array, a linear array, a circulararray, a triangular array, a uniform field, a field array, combinationsthereof, etc.

FIG. 2 shows an example of an FCC SAS for spectrum management as anexample of a mobile communication system 300. FIG. 2 shows four accessnodes 302 a, 302 b, 302 c, and 302 d, which are also referred to asCitizens Broadband Radio Service Devices (CBSD). These access nodescorrespond to fixed stations, or networks of such stations, that operateon a Priority Access or General Authorized Access basis in the CitizensBroadband Radio Service consistent with the respective specifications.As shown in FIG. 2 they serve three users 304 a, 304 b, and 304 c in thepresent example. The access nodes are coupled to a network 306 a, e.g.an SAS “SAS1”, potentially via Proxy/network manager 308. The network306 a is in communication with FCC databases for commercialusers/licenses 310 and with an Environmental Sensing Capability (ESC)312 for federal incumbent use. As further shown in FIG. 2 there can beanother SAS 306 b, “SAS2”, which is also in communication with the FCCdatabases 310 and the ESC 312 and which may be in control of a secondSAS.

For example, FCC's report and order outlines a sample system with SAS(s)as shown in FIG. 2. The FCC does not specify details of how the SAS hasto be implemented and how it needs to perform interferencemitigation—though it is an FCC requirement that the SAS performsinterference mitigation. Any radio that operates in the 3.5 GHz band inthe US will need to follow the three tier system and work with the SASto perform interference mitigation—which is not optional. The FCC alsomandates a SAS that will coordinate the spectrum use between theincumbents, PA and GAA. The SAS is central to this band, and no tier 2or tier 3 device can operate unless it is in constant communication withthe SAS and receives information of when and where to use the 3.5 GHzchannels. The SAS has to be approved by the FCC before it can bedeployed. Since the SAS is the central coordinator for this spectrum, itneeds to have a lot of information about the network and devices.

In fact, FCC mandates most of this information to be contained in theSAS. FCC's Report and Order outlines a sample system with SAS(s) asshown in FIG. 2. If there are multiple SASs, they are supposed to besynchronized with each other. However, the FCC does not specify detailsof how the SAS have to be implemented and what information has to besynchronized. Regulated power levels may be defined for legacy systems.In SAS, an additional requirement can be introduced by theincumbent/PALs: The incumbent/PAL can create a “protection zone” wherethe aggregated interference by lower tier users must be below a definedlimit (below the regulation limit). Examples may provide mechanisms toensure that this limit is met without requiring centralized powerallocation (thus limiting the required signaling overhead).

Examples may use transitional power (in the sense of a power levelbetween 0 and the maximum) settings. Such levels are also allowed bySAS, but it is not defined how to choose it. Examples introduce adistributed, low-complexity, low-overhead method for identifying theright power levels.

FIG. 3 shows an example of an LSA system 300 as another example of amobile communication system 300. An external domain of an incumbent 314is coupled to an LSA repository 316, which is further coupled to an LSAcontroller 318 in a carrier domain. The LSA controller 318 controls theaccess nodes using licensed spectrum and LSA spectrum. The controller318 may carry out centralized control.

In the following further examples will be described and some assumptionsare made to present simulation results in the sequel. As an example, anSAS is assumed. It is further assumed that all GAAs have the samemaximum transmit power level, that all GAAs use LBT and have the sameLBT sensing floor, and that no GAA will transmit within the range fromthe location of another GAA to the location where the power of the otherGAA drops down to LBT sensing floor. Further details can be found in,for example, FCC 15-47A1, item 72, “opportunistic access to unusedPriority Access channels to maximize the flexibility and utility of the3.5 GHz Band for the widest range of potential users is permitted”. Itis further assumed that the priority area 20 is a convex shape, if it isconcave shape, e.g. rectangle, the area can be increased into a convexshape.

Note, that depending on the specification of different priority accesssystems terminology may be different. For the priority area 20 asreferred to herein different terms may be used. For example, three zonesare defined in the LSA system:

-   -   an exclusion zone, in which there is no access for secondary        systems,    -   a restriction zone (in which there is limited or restricted        access for secondary systems possible, e.g. if certain output        power levels are not exceeded, and    -   a protection zone, in which certain interference levels should        not be exceeded.

Definitions can be found in TS 103 154 of ETSI (EuropeanTelecommunication and Standards Institute):

-   -   protection zone: geographical area within which incumbent        receivers will not be subject to harmful interference caused by        LSA Licensees' transmissions.

NOTE: A protection zone is defined using specific measurement quantitiesand thresholds (e.g. a mean field strength that does not exceed adefined value in dBOT/m/MHz at a defined receiver antenna height aboveground level). A protection zone is normally applicable for a definedfrequency range and time period.

-   -   restriction zone: geographical area within which LSA Licensees        are allowed to operate radio transmitters, under certain        restrictive conditions (e.g. maximum Equivalent Isotropically        Radiated Power (EIRP) limits and/or constraints on antenna        parameters).    -   NOTE: A restriction zone is normally applicable for a defined        frequency range and time period.    -   exclusion zone: geographical area within which LSA Licensees are        not allowed to have active radio transmitters.    -   NOTE: An exclusion zone is normally applicable for a defined        frequency range and time period.

In SAS context terms may be used differently. In an exclusion zonesecondary systems are not allowed if they do not haveincumbent-sensing-capability. If they do, the exclusion zoneautomatically converts into a protection zone, in which a secondarysystem can be operated under control of an SAS controller. The priorityarea 20 as used herein may represent any region, zone or area forensuring rights of priority users independent from of the actual RAT orsystem architecture.

At least in some examples the access condition comprises an interferencelevel threshold. In other examples other access conditions areconceivable as well, examples are an overall interference level, anindividual interference level, a receive power level, a power densitylevel in a certain band or spectrum, a signal-to-noise ratio level, asignal-to-noise-and-interference level, etc.

In the following a further example in an SAS system is furtherdescribed, where first a power allocation method of an example isdetailed. For example, the one or more transmission parameters, whichare to be determined comprise a maximum transmission power of the firstaccess node 100. Generally, in examples the transmission parameters arenot limited or restricted to power allocation; further examples arebeamforming settings (e.g. directions of main beams or minimum antennagain), average transmission power settings, a peak-to-average powerratio settings, etc. The one or more transmission parameters maycomprise a beamforming configuration of the first access node 100. Forexample, the control module 14 can be configured to adjust at least oneof a beam selection, a beam direction and a beam shape based on thepriority area information.

In the following it is assumed that all GAAs (access nodes of thecategory of the first access node 100) have an omnidirectional antenna.Further examples will be detailed in the sequel in which beamformingantennas will assumed and directional settings in terms of beamforming,beam selection, beam direction etc. will also be considered. It isnoted, that in some examples, based on an estimated interference level,the control module 14 is configured to suspend transmission of the firstaccess node 100, to allow restricted transmission of the first accessnode 100, or to allow un-restricted or un-limited transmission of thefirst access node 100. As indicate above, the control module 14 may beconfigured to determine whether the first access node 100 is located inan exclusion zone outside the priority area 20 of the second access node200, in which transmission of the first access node 100 is suspended, atransitional zone outside the priority area 20 of the second access node200 and outside the exclusion zone, in which transmission of the firstaccess node 100 is restricted, and an open zone outside the priorityarea 20 of the second access node 200, outside the exclusion zone andoutside the transitional zone, in which transmission of the first accessnode 100 is un-restricted. The priority area 20 may comprise aprotection area in which the second access node 200 is protected frominterference or predefined interference levels.

It is further assumed that a GAA exclusion zone is located outside ofthe PAL protection area 20 (e.g. as defined in FCC 15-47A1 for a PALaccess node corresponding to an access node of the category of thesecond access node 200). Within the exclusion zone, the GAAs cannottransmit. Moreover, a GAA transitional zone is assumed outside of theGAA exclusion zone. Within the GAA transitional zone, the GAA maytransmit with less than full power. Furthermore, a GAA open zone isassumed outside of the GAA transitional zone. Within the GAA open zone,the GAA can transmit with full power. The definition of the above zonesis shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 4 depicts an illustration of definitions of a GAA exclusion zone, atransitional zone, an open zone, and a PAL protection area 20 as definedin FCC in an example. FIG. 4 shows an example of a first access node 100as GAA indexed j. The first access node 100 comprises an access nodecontroller 10 as shown in FIG. 1. The PAL as second access node 200 isassumed at the far left of the GAA 100 outside the depicted range ofFIG. 4. The hachured section depicts the priority area 20, which is alsoreferred to as PAL protection area in this example. The boundary of thepriority area 20 is located at a distance of h_(j)*−l_(j) from thelocation of the GAA 100. The distance between the PAL 200 and the GAA100 is assumed to be Ω′ and the GAA 100 is located on the boundarybetween the exclusion zone and the transitional zone. The boundarybetween the transitional zone and the open zone is at a distance Ω′ fromPAL 200 and at a distance l_(j) from the GAA 100.

The GAA power allocation procedure is summarized in four steps in thepresent example:

Step 1: The GAA 100 calculates its distance h_(j)*−l_(j) to the PALprotection area boundary and finds out the point along the PALprotection boundary where the distance is minimum. This is defined asthe critical point 400 for this GAA 100 as shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 5further illustrates the example of a transmit power calculation in anopen zone. FIG. 5 shows the PAL 200 in the center surrounded by a numberof GAA 100, 100.1, 100.2 and others (reference signs omitted indicatedby triangles).

At the boundary of the priority area 20, PAL protection area in thisexample, the critical point 400 is shown. The triangle 100 representsthe reference GAA 100 that is calculating its transmit power and thetriangles 100.1 and 100.2 as well as the further triangles notreferenced represent the other possible GAAs transmitting with fullpower. The dot 400 represents the critical point 400 of the referenceGAA 100 along the PAL protection area boundary.

In some examples the control module 14 of the access node controller 10is configured to estimate an interference level at the priority areaboundary 400 of the second access node. The control module may befurther configured to estimate the interference level at the priorityarea boundary 400 of the second access node 200 based on a distance Ω′between the first access node 100 and the second access node 200 or adistance h_(j)*−l_(j) between the first access node 100 and the priorityarea boundary 400 of the second access node 200. In examples, thepriority area information may comprise information on or related to atleast one of these distances.

For example, such information may comprise location information of thesecond access node 200 or other information that allows thedetermination of an interference level. For example, the second accessnode 200 may broadcast the priority area information such that the firstaccess node 100 can receive the information. Such reception via the oneor more interfaces 12 may be carried out in a wired manner, e.g. via awired interface between the access nodes or also wireless, i.e. usingover the air broadcasting. In some examples such information may bebroadcast in terms of a neighbor list, i.e. an access node may broadcastinformation on its neighbor such that any receiving access node couldderive priority area information for these neighbors, e.g. by means ofdirect broadcast or by means of broadcasting access node identificationsand an accessible list or table providing priority area information foraccess nodes. For example, the priority area information of the secondaccess node 200 may be received from the second access node 200. In someexamples the priority area information of the second access node 200 maybe received from a controlling network node, e.g. an SAS controller.

In examples, the priority area information may comprise at least one oflocation information of the second access node 200, location informationof the priority area of the second access node 200, size or shapeinformation of the priority area of the second access node 200,beamforming information of the second access node 200, radiation patterninformation of the second access node 200, transmission powerinformation of the second access node 200, one or more interferencethresholds for one or more locations, and signal quality information tobe maintained for the second access node 200.

The control module 14 may be further configured to determine anestimated interference level at the priority area boundary 400 of thesecond access node 200 based on an estimated interference contributionof the first access node 100 at the priority area boundary. Theestimated interference contribution is based on the one or moretransmission parameters, e.g. a power or beamforming setting. Thecontrol module 14 may be further configured to determine the estimatedinterference level at the priority area boundary based on an assumptionthat further transmitting access nodes at a predefined distance aretransmitting with a predefined interference contribution. Such anexample may carry out the following step 2. For example, based on anestimated path loss (e.g. based on a path loss model suiting thescenario, which allows converting a distance into an estimated pathloss) and for a given transmission power and antenna gain, aninterference at the distance can be estimated.

Step 2: The GAA 100 calculates whether or not it is in the GAA openzone. The GAA 100 assumes that it transmits with full power and allother possible GAAs 100.1, 100.2 etc. that can transmit, are alsotransmitting at full power. The distance from the location of the GAA100 to where the signal power of the GAA drops down to the LBT sensingfloor (for a given path loss model) can be defined as an “LBT minimumdistance”, as shown in FIG. 5 between GAA 100 and GAA 100.1. Thelocations of other possible GAAs are separated from each other with theLBT minimum distance.

When all possible GAAs are transmitting with full power, plus theinterference from the reference GAA 100, the aggregated interference atthe PAL protection area 20 is maximum and this is the worst casescenario. If other possible GAAs are transmitting with less than fullpower, they will not cause as much aggregated interference as the worstcase.

If the aggregated interference from the reference GAA 100 and all otherpossible GAAs that transmit with full power to the PAL protection areaboundary is less than or equal to the interference threshold, thereference GAA 100 is in the GAA open zone and it can transmit with fullpower. Otherwise, the GAA 100 cannot transmit with full power and thefollowing step 3 is carried out. FIG. 5 illustrates one example of step2. The assumption of the locations of other possible GAAs is using thereference GAA 100 as the center to the clockwise and counter clockwisedirection around the PAL protection area 20. Only the first tierpossible GAAs around the PAL protection area 20 is assumed and all otherGAAs have the same minimum distance to the PAL protection area 20 as thereference GAA 100.

Step 3: The GAA 100 calculates or determines whether or not it is withinthe exclusion zone. The GAA 100 assumes it is the only transmitter andcalculates its maximum transmit power to keep the interference thresholdalong the PAL protection area boundary. One example is that the GAA 100assumes its signal power drops down to the interference threshold at thecritical point 400 and uses the interference threshold divided by thepath loss with the distance from the GAA 100 to the critical point 400to obtain its maximum transmit power.

Then, the GAA 100 calculates or determines the GAA open zone by usingthe same method in step 1 and finds the minimum distance of GAA 100 withfull transmit power to the PAL protection area 20. The GAA 100calculates or determines, with its maximum transmit power whether theLTB sensing range overlaps with the GAA open zone; if not it is withinthe exclusion zone and cannot transmit. Since there can be anotherpossible GAA outside of the LBT sensing range transmitting with fullpower that has the same critical point 400 with the reference GAA andcannot hear the reference GAA 100, so that the aggregated interferencewill be above the threshold. This scenario is illustrated by FIG. 6.FIG. 6 shows an example of a transmit power calculation in an exclusionzone. If a GAA 100 transmits within the exclusion zone, its maximumtransmit power will not be high enough to let the other possible fullpower GAA 100.1 hear it, so that the interference at the critical point400 cannot be guaranteed.

Otherwise, the GAA 100 is within the GAA transitional zone, between theexclusion zone and the GAA open zone, and the GAA 100 can transmit withless than full power and proceeds with step 4. One example of decidingwhether or not the LBT sensing range overlaps with the GAA open zone isthat to calculate whether or not the LBT sensing range boundary has atleast two intersections with the GAA protection zone boundary.

Step 4: The GAA 100 is in the transitional zone and assumes that ittransmits with less than full power and all other possible GAAs that cantransmit, are at full power. The distance from the location of the GAA100 to where the signal power of the GAA drops down to the LBT sensingfloor is defined as the “LBT minimum distance”. The locations of otherGAAs are away from each other with the LBT minimum distance with thereference GAA as the center. The GAA may optimize its transmit power tomeet the interference threshold and also maximize capacity. One exampleis that the GAA 100 considers the closest two possible GAAs with fullpower to it, as illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8.

FIG. 7 shows an example of a transmit power calculation in atransitional zone and FIG. 8 further illustrates the example of thetransmit power calculation in the transitional zone. In FIG. 7 the GAA100 is between the exclusion zone and the full contour. The GAA 100 cantransmit with less than the full power. The possible full power GAA100.1 will locate at the intersection of the contour when the GAA 100 istransmitting at P t and the interference drops down to LBT sensingfloor. The distance between the intersection is greater or equal to theminimum distance between the full power GAAs 100.1 and 100.2. In FIG. 8,if the distance of the intersection is less than the minimum distancebetween full power GAAs 100.1 and 100.2, one possible GAA 100.1 will beat one intersection, the other possible GAA 100.2 will be at the fullpower contour and with the minimum distance away from the first possibleGAA 100.1.

The locations of those two GAAs 100.1 and 100.2 will be at theintersection of the LBT sensing range boundary and the GAA open zoneboundary, if the distance between the intersection is greater than orequal to the LBT minimum distance between two full power transmitters,as shown in FIG. 7. Otherwise, one possible GAA 100.1 is at oneintersection, the other possible GAA 100.2 is at the GAA open zoneboundary with the LBT minimum distance away from the first GAA 100.1closer to the other intersection, as shown in FIG. 8. The GAA 100 mayoptimize its transmit power with those two GAAs 100.1 and 100.2 to meetthe interference threshold at its critical point and also maximizecapacity.

In the following simulation results will be presented. FIG. 9 shows aview chart illustration of simulation results with respect to a capacitycomparison between an example and a centralized method for transmitpower calculation, the dependency on a number of GAA and a number ofPALs is also shown. The view chart shows the capacity in bit/s/Hz/GAA(bits per second, Hertz and GAA user on the ordinate versus the numberof GAA users on the abscissa. The centralized method is using alllocations of all PAL and GAA base stations to optimize the transmitpower. The distributed method of the example can achieve approximately80-90% of the maximum capacity with the centralized method. Simulationswith various numbers of PAL base stations, 1, 5 and 10 are shown. FIG. 9further shows the capacity per GAA and the capacity variance.

FIG. 10 shows a view chart in a bar graph illustration of simulationresults with respect to a capacity comparison between an example and acentralized method for transmit power calculation, the dependency on anumber of GAA assuming 5 PAL users is shown. The view chart again showsthe capacity in bit/s/Hz/GAA (bits per second, Hertz and GAA user) onthe ordinate versus the number of GAA users on the abscissa in bar graphrepresentation, which corresponds to a breakdown of the capacity. Thesize/height of the bars shows the capacity from different zones. By justallowing the GAA in the open zone to transmit with full power, a largeportion of the optimal capacity can already be achieved. By allowing theGAA in the transitional zone to transmit with less than full power, morecapacity on top of the previous setting can be gained.

FIG. 11 illustrates a coverage map in an example when using centralizedGAA power allocation. FIG. 12 illustrates a coverage map in an examplewhen using distributed GAA power allocation. In FIGS. 11 and 12 thecircles 200.1, 200.2, 200.3, 200.4, and 200.5 represent PAL basestations. The regions 200.1 a, 200.2 a, 200.3 a, 200.4 a, and 200.5 ashown in dashed curves around the PAL access nodes 200.1, 200.2, 200.3,200.4, and 200.5 represent the PAL protection area. Please note thatthere can be more than one PAL base station in one PAL protection area.The triangles represent GAA base stations. Contours around GAA basestations are aggregated interference levels. FIG. 11 shows the result ofthe centralized method that can achieve maximum capacity. FIG. 12 showsthe result of a distributed method in an example. The GAA base stations100.1 e, 100.2 e, 100.3 e, and 100.4 e marked with thick circles are theones within the exclusion zone that cannot transmit and GAA basestations 100.1 t and 100.2 t are the ones within the GAA transitionalzone that transmit with less than full power. The distributed method cankeep the aggregated interference below the threshold (i.e. the contoursdo not overlap with the PAL protection area) and achieve suboptimalcapacity, however, being close the theoretical maximum shown in FIG. 11.

Further examples may adapt beamforming at the access node 100 astransmission parameter. Examples may be configured to set a beamformingparameter, a transmission power parameter or both in order to fulfillthe access condition. In the following it is assumed that the referenceGAA 100 has a directional antenna. A GAA open zone can be definedoutside of the priority area 20 where all GAAs may transmit to alldirections, cf FIGS. 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8. Moreover, an exclusion zone canbe defined in line with the above. Between the PAL protection area(priority area 20) and the exclusion zone, the GAA 100 cannot transmitto any direction. Between the exclusion zone and the GAA open zone, theGAA may tune the direction of the beam or turn off the respective sectorof the cell to avoid the interference to the PAL protection area 20 inan example.

In an example, the access node controller 10 may carry out the followingsteps:

Step 1: The access node controller 10 or GAA 100 will first determine ifit can transmit to all directions, assuming all other possible GAAs haveomni-directional antennas. The aggregated interference to the PALprotection area 20 is below the threshold. Otherwise step 2 is carriedout.

Step 2: The access node controller 10 or GAA 100 will then determine itsmaximum transmit power by assuming itself as the only transmitter andthe side lobe with least power drops down to the interference thresholdat the PAL protection area boundary. If, with the maximum transmitpower, the LBT sensing range does not overlap with the GAA open zone,the GAA 100 is within the exclusion zone, it cannot transmit. Otherwise,it is between the exclusion zone and the GAA open zone and it cantransmit to some directions. The example proceeds with step 3.

Step 3: The GAA 100 will determine the angle to tune the beam with theside lobe with least power directing to the PAL protection area assumingall other possible GAAs transmit to all directions outside of the GAAopen zone and transmit with beamforming between the exclusion zone andthe GAA open zone. The GAA 100 will improve or even optimize itsbeamforming scheme to meet the interference threshold to all PALprotection areas, which may also result in further improvement tomaximize capacity.

In some embodiments at least one of the first access node and the secondaccess node is a satellite, a drone or another device operating aboveground. The above aspects are also applicable if one or even both of theaccess nodes 100, 200 are satellites, drones or other objects/devicesoperating above ground. For example, uplink interference may begenerated by terminals using satellite bands for terrestrialcommunication.

FIG. 13 depicts a block diagram of an example of a method fordetermining one or more transmission parameters for a first access node100 of a mobile communication system 300. The mobile communicationsystem 300 further comprises a second access node 200. The methodcomprises obtaining 32 priority area information of the second accessnode 200. The second access node 200 has priority access in the priorityarea 20 compared to the first access node 100. The method furthercomprises determining 34 the one or more transmission parameters for thefirst access node 100 based on the priority area information of thesecond access node 200 and based on an access condition at a priorityarea boundary.

Another example is a computer program having a program code forperforming at least one of the methods described herein, when thecomputer program is executed on a computer, a processor, or aprogrammable hardware component. Another example is a machine readablestorage including machine readable instructions, when executed, toimplement a method or realize an apparatus as described herein. Afurther example is a machine readable medium including code, whenexecuted, to cause a machine to perform any of the methods describedherein.

The examples as described herein may be summarized as follows:

Example 1 is an access node controller (10) for determining one or moretransmission parameters of a first access node (100) in a mobilecommunication system (300). The access node controller (10) comprisesone or more interfaces (12) configured to obtain priority areainformation of a second access node (200) in the mobile communicationsystem. The second access node (200) has priority access in a priorityarea compared to the first access node (100). The access node controller(10) comprises a control module (14) configured to control the one ormore interfaces (12) and configured to determine the one or moretransmission parameters of the first access node (100) based on thepriority area information of the second access node (200) and based onan access condition at a priority area boundary.

Example 2 is the access node controller (10) of example 1, wherein thesecond access node (200) is comprised in the mobile communication system(300).

Example 3 is the access node controller (10) of one of the examples 1 or2, wherein the access condition comprises an interference levelthreshold.

Example 4 is the access node controller (10) of one of the examples 1 to3, wherein the control module (14) is configured to estimate aninterference level at the priority area boundary of the second accessnode (200).

Example 5 is the access node controller (10) of example 4, wherein thecontrol module (14) is configured to estimate the interference level atthe priority area boundary of the second access node (200) based on adistance between the first access node (100) and the second access node(200) or between the first access node (100) and the priority areaboundary of the second access node (200).

Example 6 is the access node controller (10) of example 5, wherein thecontrol module (14) is further configured to determine an estimatedinterference level at the priority area boundary of the second accessnode (200) based on an estimated interference contribution of the firstaccess node (100) at the priority area boundary, wherein the estimatedinterference contribution is based on the one or more transmissionparameters.

Example 7 is the access node controller (10) of example 6, wherein thecontrol module (14) is further configured to determine the estimatedinterference level at the priority area boundary based on an assumptionthat further transmitting access nodes at a predefined distance aretransmitting with a predefined interference contribution.

Example 8 is the access node controller (10) of one of the examples 6 or7, wherein, based on the estimated interference level, the controlmodule (14) is further configured to suspend trans-mission of the firstaccess node (100), to allow restricted transmission of the first accessnode (100), or to allow unrestricted transmission of the first accessnode (100).

Example 9 is the access node controller (10) of one of the examples 1 to8, wherein the control module (14) is configured to determine whetherthe first access node (100) is located in an exclusion zone outside thepriority area of the second access node (200), in which transmission ofthe first access node (100) is suspended, a transitional zone outsidethe priority area of the second access node (200) and outside theexclusion zone, in which transmission of the first access node (100) isrestricted, and an open zone outside the priority area of the secondaccess node (200), outside the exclusion zone and outside thetransitional zone, in which transmission of the first access node (100)is unrestricted.

Example 10 is the access node controller (10) of one of the examples 1to 9, wherein the priority area comprises a protection area in which thesecond access node (200) is protected from interference or predefinedinterference levels.

Example 11 is the access node controller (10) of one of the examples 1to 10, wherein the one or more transmission parameters comprise amaximum transmission power of the first access node (100).

Example 12 is the access node controller (10) of one of the examples 1to 11, wherein the one or more transmission parameters comprise abeamforming configuration of the first access node (100).

Example 13 is the access node controller (10) of example 12, wherein thecontrol module (14) is configured to adjust at least one of a beamselection, a beam direction, and a beam shape, based on the priorityarea information.

Example 14 is the access node controller (10) of one of the examples 1to 13, wherein the priority area information of the second access node(200) is received from the second access node (200).

Example 15 is the access node controller (10) of one of the examples 1to 13, wherein the priority area information of the second access node(200) is received from a controlling network node.

Example 16 is the access node controller (10) of one of the examples 1to 15, wherein the priority area information comprises at least one oflocation information of the second access node (200), locationinformation of the priority area of the second access node (200), sizeor shape information of the priority area of the second access node(200), beamforming information of the second access node (200),radiation pattern information of the second access node (200),transmission power information of the second access node (200), one ormore interference thresholds for one or more locations, and signalquality information to be maintained for the second access node (200).

Example 17 is the access node controller (10) of one of the examples 1to 16, further comprising a transceiver module (16) configured totransmit and receive wireless signals in the mobile communication system(300), wherein the control module (14) is configured to control thetransceiver module (16), wherein the control module (14) is configuredto sense an interference level using the transceiver module (16) and tosuspend transmission of the first access node (100) if a sensedinterference level is above a transmission threshold.

Example 18 is the access node controller (10) of one of the examples 1to 17, wherein at least one of the first access node (100) and thesecond access node (200) is a satellite, a drone or a device operatingabove ground.

Example 19 is an apparatus for an access node, the apparatus beingconfigured for determining one or more transmission parameters for afirst access node (100) of a mobile communication system (300). Theapparatus (10) comprises means for obtaining (12) priority areainformation of a second access node (200) in the mobile communicationsystem, the second access node (200) having priority access in apriority area compared to the first access node (100), and means fordetermining (14) the one or more transmission parameters of the firstaccess node (100) based on the priority area information of the secondaccess node (200) and based on an access condition at a priority areaboundary.

Example 20 is the apparatus (10) of example 19, wherein the secondaccess node (200) is comprised in the mobile communication system (300).

Example 21 is the apparatus (10) of one of the examples 19 or 20,wherein the access condition comprises an interference level threshold.

Example 22 is the apparatus (10) of one of the examples 19 to 21,wherein the means for determining (14) is configured for estimating aninterference level at the priority area boundary of the second accessnode (200).

Example 23 is the apparatus (10) of example 22, wherein the means fordetermining (14) is configured for estimating the interference level atthe priority area boundary of the second access node (200) based on adistance between the first access node (100) and the second access node(200) or between the first access node (100) and the priority areaboundary of the second access node (200).

Example 24 is the apparatus (10) of example 23, wherein the means fordetermining (14) is further configured for determining an estimatedinterference level at the priority area boundary of the second accessnode (200) based on an estimated interference contribution of the firstaccess node (100) at the priority area boundary, wherein the estimatedinterference contribution is based on the one or more transmissionparameters.

Example 25 is the apparatus (10) of example 24, wherein the means fordetermining (14) is further configured for determining the estimatedinterference level at the priority area boundary based on an assumptionthat further transmitting access nodes at a predefined distance aretransmitting with a predefined interference contribution.

Example 26 is the apparatus (10) of one of the examples 24 or 25,wherein, based on the estimated interference level, the means fordetermining (14) is further configured for suspending transmission ofthe first access node (100), for allowing restricted transmission of thefirst access node (100), or for allowing unrestricted transmission ofthe first access node (100).

Example 27 is the apparatus (10) of one of the examples 19 to 26,wherein the means for determining (14) is configured for determiningwhether the first access node (100) is located in an exclusion zoneoutside the priority area of the second access node (200), in whichtransmission of the first access node (100) is suspended, a transitionalzone outside the priority area of the second access node (200) andoutside the exclusion zone, in which transmission of the first accessnode (100) is restricted, and an open zone outside the priority area ofthe second access node (200), outside the exclusion zone and outside thetransitional zone, in which transmission of the first access node (100)is unrestricted.

Example 28 is the apparatus (10) of one of the examples 19 to 27,wherein the priority area comprises a protection area in which thesecond access node (200) is protected from interference or predefinedinterference levels.

Example 29 is the apparatus (10) of one of the examples 19 to 28,wherein the one or more transmission parameters comprise a maximumtransmission power of the first access node (100).

Example 30 is the apparatus (10) of one of the examples 19 to 29,wherein the one or more transmission parameters comprise a beamformingconfiguration of the first access node (100).

Example 31 is the apparatus (10) of example 30, wherein the means fordetermining (14) is configured for adjusting at least one of a beamselection, a beam direction, and a beam shape, based on the priorityarea information.

Example 32 is the apparatus (10) of one of the examples 19 to 31,wherein the priority area information of the second access node (200) isreceived from the second access node (200).

Example 33 is the apparatus (10) of one of the examples 19 to 31,wherein the priority area information of the second access node (200) isreceived from a controlling network node.

Example 34 is the apparatus (10) of one of the examples 19 to 33,wherein the priority area information comprises at least one of locationinformation of the second access node (200), location information of thepriority area of the second access node (200), size or shape informationof the priority area of the second access node (200), beamforminginformation of the second access node (200), radiation patterninformation of the second access node (200), transmission powerinformation of the second access node (200), one or more interferencethresholds for one or more locations, and signal quality information tobe maintained for the second access node (200).

Example 35 is the apparatus (10) of one of the examples 19 to 34,further comprising means for transmit-ting and receiving wirelesssignals in the mobile communication system (300), wherein means fordetermining (14) is configured for sensing an interference level usingthe means for transmitting and receiving and for suspending transmissionof the first access node (100) if a sensed interference level is above atransmission threshold.

Example 36 is the apparatus (10) of one of the examples 19 to 35,wherein at least one of the first access node (100) and the secondaccess node (200) is a satellite, a drone or a device operating aboveground.

Example 37 is an access node for a mobile communication system (300)comprising the access node controller (10) of one of the examples 1 to18 or the apparatus (10) of one of the examples 19 to 36.

Example 38 is a mobile communication system (300) comprising the accessnode of example 37 as a first access node (100), the communicationsystem (300) further comprising a second access node (200), which haspriority access in the mobile communication system (300) compared to thefirst access node (100).

Example 39 is the mobile communication system (300) of example 38,comprising multiple first access nodes (100) and multiple second accessnodes (200), the second access nodes (200) having priority access in themobile communication system (300) compared to the first access nodes(100), the first access nodes (100) being configured to sense aninterference level in the mobile communication system (300) beforetransmitting and the first access nodes (100) being configured tosuspend transmission if a sensed interference level is above atransmission threshold.

Example 40 is a method for determining one or more transmissionparameters for a first access node (100) of a mobile communicationsystem (300). The method comprises obtaining (32) priority areainformation of a second access node (200) in the mobile communicationsystem (300), the second access node (200) having priority access in apriority area compared to the first access node (100), and determining(34) the one or more transmission parameters of the first access node(100) based on the priority area information of the second access node(200) and based on an access condition at a priority area boundary.

Example 41 is the method of example 40, wherein the second access node(200) is comprised in the mobile communication system (300).

Example 42 is the method of one of the examples 40 or 41, wherein theaccess condition comprises an interference level threshold.

Example 43 is the method of one of the examples 40 to 42, comprisingestimating an interference level at the priority area boundary of thesecond access node (200).

Example 44 is the method of example 43, comprising estimating theinterference level at the priority area boundary of the second accessnode (200) based on a distance between the first access node (100) andthe second access node (200) or between the first access node (100) andthe priority area boundary of the second access node (200).

Example 45 is the method of example 44, comprising determining anestimated interference level at the priority area boundary of the secondaccess node (200) based on an estimated interference contribution of thefirst access node (100) at the priority area boundary, wherein theestimated interference contribution is based on the one or moretransmission parameters.

Example 46 is the method of example 45, comprising determining theestimated interference level at the priority area boundary based on anassumption that further transmitting access nodes at a predefineddistance are transmitting with a predefined interference contribution.

Example 47 is the method of one of the examples 45 or 46, comprising,based on the estimated interference level, suspending transmission ofthe first access node (100), for allowing restricted transmission of thefirst access node (100), or for allowing unrestricted transmission ofthe first access node (100).

Example 48 is the method of one of the examples 40 to 47, comprisingdetermining whether the first access node (100) is located in

an exclusion zone outside the priority area of the second access node(200), in which transmission of the first access node (100) issuspended,a transitional zone outside the priority area of the second access node(200) and outside the exclusion zone, in which transmission of the firstaccess node (100) is restricted, andan open zone outside the priority area of the second access node (200),outside the exclusion zone and outside the transitional zone, in whichtransmission of the first access node (100) is unrestricted.

Example 49 is the method of one of the examples 40 to 48, wherein thepriority area comprises a protection area in which the second accessnode (200) is protected from interference or pre-defined interferencelevels.

Example 50 is the method of one of the examples 40 to 49, wherein theone or more transmission parameters comprise a maximum transmissionpower of the first access node (100).

Example 51 is the method of one of the examples 40 to 50, wherein theone or more transmission parameters comprise a beamforming configurationof the first access node (100).

Example 52 is the method of example 51, comprising adjusting at leastone of a beam selection, a beam direction, and a beam shape, based onthe priority area information.

Example 53 is the method of one of the examples 40 to 52, wherein thepriority area information of the second access node (200) is receivedfrom the second access node (200).

Example 54 is the method of one of the examples 40 to 52, wherein thepriority area information of the second access node (200) is receivedfrom a controlling network node.

Example 55 is the method of one of the examples 40 to 54, wherein thepriority area information comprises at least one of location informationof the second access node (200), location information of the priorityarea of the second access node (200), size or shape information of thepriority area of the second access node (200), beamforming informationof the second access node (200), radiation pattern information of thesecond access node (200), transmission power information of the secondaccess node (200), one or more interference thresholds for one or morelocations, and signal quality information to be maintained for thesecond access node (200).

Example 56 is the method of one of the examples 40 to 55, furthercomprising transmitting and receiving wireless signals in the mobilecommunication system (300), sensing an interference level, andsuspending transmission of the first access node (100) if a sensedinterference level is above a transmission threshold.

Example 57 is the method of one of the examples 40 to 56, wherein atleast one of the first access node (100) and the second access node(200) is a satellite, a drone or a device operating above ground.

Example 58 is a computer program having a program code for performingthe method of at least one of the examples 40 to 57, when the computerprogram is executed on a computer, a processor, or a programmablehardware component.

Example 59 is a machine readable storage including machine readableinstructions, when executed, to implement a method or realize anapparatus as exemplified in any example described herein.

Example 60 is a machine readable medium including code, when executed,to cause a machine to perform the method of any one of examples 40 to57.

The aspects and features mentioned and described together with one ormore of the previously detailed examples and figures, may as well becombined with one or more of the other examples in order to replace alike feature of the other example or in order to additionally introducethe feature to the other example.

Examples may further be or relate to a computer program having a programcode for performing one or more of the above methods, when the computerprogram is executed on a computer or processor. Steps, operations orprocesses of various above-described methods may be performed byprogrammed computers or processors. Examples may also cover programstorage devices such as digital data storage media, which are machine,processor or computer readable and encode machine-executable,processor-executable or computer-executable programs of instructions.The instructions perform or cause performing some or all of the acts ofthe above-described methods. The program storage devices may comprise orbe, for instance, digital memories, magnetic storage media such asmagnetic disks and magnetic tapes, hard drives, or optically readabledigital data storage media. Further examples may also cover computers,processors or control units programmed to perform the acts of theabove-described methods or (field) programmable logic arrays ((F)PLAs)or (field) programmable gate arrays ((F)PGAs), programmed to perform theacts of the above-described methods.

The description and drawings merely illustrate the principles of thedisclosure. Furthermore, all examples recited herein are principallyintended expressly to be only for pedagogical purposes to aid the readerin understanding the principles of the disclosure and the conceptscontributed by the inventor(s) to furthering the art. All statementsherein reciting principles, aspects, and examples of the disclosure, aswell as specific examples thereof, are intended to encompass equivalentsthereof.

A functional block denoted as “means for . . . ” performing a certainfunction may refer to a circuit that is configured to perform a certainfunction. Hence, a “means for s.th.” may be implemented as a “meansconfigured to or suited for s.th.”, such as a device or a circuitconfigured to or suited for the respective task.

Functions of various elements shown in the figures, including anyfunctional blocks labeled as “means” etc., may be implemented in theform of dedicated hardware, such as “a signal processing unit”, “aprocessor”, “a controller”, etc. as well as hardware capable ofexecuting software in association with appropriate software. Whenprovided by a processor, the functions may be provided by a singlededicated processor, by a single shared processor, or by a plurality ofindividual processors, some of which or all of which may be shared.However, the term “processor” or “controller” is by far not limited tohardware exclusively capable of executing software, but may includedigital signal processor (DSP) hardware, network processor, applicationspecific integrated circuit (ASIC), field programmable gate array(FPGA), read only memory (ROM) for storing software, random accessmemory (RAM), and non-volatile storage. Other hardware, conventionaland/or custom, may also be included.

A block diagram may, for instance, illustrate a high-level circuitdiagram implementing the principles of the disclosure. Similarly, a flowchart, a flow diagram, a state transition diagram, a pseudo code, andthe like may represent various processes, operations or steps, whichmay, for instance, be substantially represented in computer readablemedium and so executed by a computer or processor, whether or not suchcomputer or processor is explicitly shown. Methods disclosed in thespecification or in the claims may be implemented by a device havingmeans for performing each of the respective acts of these methods.

It is to be understood that the disclosure of multiple acts, processes,operations, steps or functions disclosed in the specification or claimsmay not be construed as to be within the specific order, unlessexplicitly or implicitly stated otherwise, for instance for technicalreasons. Therefore, the disclosure of multiple acts or functions willnot limit these to a particular order unless such acts or functions arenot interchangeable for technical reasons. Furthermore, in some examplesa single act, function, process, operation or step may include or may bebroken into multiple sub-acts, -functions, -processes, -operations or-steps, respectively. Such sub acts may be included and part of thedisclosure of this single act unless explicitly excluded.

Furthermore, the following claims are hereby incorporated into thedetailed description, where each claim may stand on its own as aseparate example. While each claim may stand on its own as a separateexample, it is to be noted that—although a dependent claim may refer inthe claims to a specific combination with one or more other claims—otherexamples may also include a combination of the dependent claim with thesubject matter of each other dependent or independent claim. Suchcombinations are explicitly proposed herein unless it is stated that aspecific combination is not intended. Furthermore, it is intended toinclude also features of a claim to any other independent claim even ifthis claim is not directly made dependent to the independent claim.

What is claimed is:
 1. An access node controller for determining one ormore transmission parameters of a first access node in a mobilecommunication system, the access node controller comprising one or moreinterfaces configured to obtain priority area information of a secondaccess node in the mobile communication system, the second access nodehaving priority access in a priority area compared to the first accessnode; and a control module configured to control the one or moreinterfaces and configured to determine the one or more transmissionparameters of the first access node based on the priority areainformation of the second access node and based on an access conditionat a priority area boundary.
 2. The access node controller of claim 1,wherein the second access node is comprised in the mobile communicationsystem.
 3. The access node controller of claim 1, wherein the accesscondition comprises an interference level threshold.
 4. The access nodecontroller of claim 1, wherein the control module is configured toestimate an interference level at the priority area boundary of thesecond access node.
 5. The access node controller of claim 4, whereinthe control module is configured to estimate the interference level atthe priority area boundary of the second access node based on a distancebetween the first access node and the second access node or between thefirst access node and the priority area boundary of the second accessnode.
 6. The access node controller of claim 5, wherein the controlmodule is further configured to determine an estimated interferencelevel at the priority area boundary of the second access node based onan estimated interference contribution of the first access node at thepriority area boundary, wherein the estimated interference contributionis based on the one or more transmission parameters.
 7. The access nodecontroller of claim 6, wherein the control module is further configuredto determine the estimated interference level at the priority areaboundary based on an assumption that further transmitting access nodesat a predefined distance are transmitting with a predefined interferencecontribution.
 8. The access node controller of claim 6, wherein, basedon the estimated interference level, the control module is furtherconfigured to suspend transmission of the first access node, to allowrestricted transmission of the first access node, or to allowunrestricted transmission of the first access node.
 9. The access nodecontroller of claim 1, wherein the control module is configured todetermine whether the first access node is located in an exclusion zoneoutside the priority area of the second access node, in whichtransmission of the first access node is suspended, a transitional zoneoutside the priority area of the second access node and outside theexclusion zone, in which transmission of the first access node isrestricted, and an open zone outside the priority area of the secondaccess node, outside the exclusion zone and outside the transitionalzone, in which transmission of the first access node is unrestricted.10. The access node controller of claim 1, wherein the priority areacomprises a protection area in which the second access node is protectedfrom interference or predefined interference levels.
 11. The access nodecontroller of claim 1, wherein the one or more transmission parameterscomprise a maximum transmission power of the first access node.
 12. Theaccess node controller of claim 1, wherein the one or more transmissionparameters comprise a beamforming configuration of the first accessnode.
 13. The access node controller of claim 12, wherein the controlmodule is configured to adjust at least one of a beam selection, a beamdirection, and a beam shape, based on the priority area information. 14.The access node controller of claim 1, wherein the priority areainformation of the second access node is received from the second accessnode.
 15. The access node controller of claim 1, wherein the priorityarea information of the second access node is received from acontrolling network node.
 16. The access node controller of claim 1,wherein the priority area information comprises at least one of locationinformation of the second access node, location information of thepriority area of the second access node, size or shape information ofthe priority area of the second access node, beamforming information ofthe second access node, radiation pattern information of the secondaccess node, transmission power information of the second access node,one or more interference thresholds for one or more locations, andsignal quality information to be maintained for the second access node.17. The access node controller of claim 1, further comprising atransceiver module configured to transmit and receive wireless signalsin the mobile communication system, wherein the control module isconfigured to control the transceiver module, wherein the control moduleis configured to sense an interference level using the transceivermodule and to suspend transmission of the first access node if a sensedinterference level is above a transmission threshold.
 18. The accessnode controller of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first accessnode and the second access node is a satellite, a drone or a deviceoperating above ground.
 19. An access node for a mobile communicationsystem comprising the access node controller of claim
 1. 20. A mobilecommunication system comprising the access node of claim 19 as a firstaccess node, the communication system further comprising a second accessnode, which has priority access in the mobile communication systemcompared to the first access node.
 21. The mobile communication systemof claim 20, comprising multiple first access nodes and multiple secondaccess nodes, the second access nodes having priority access in themobile communication system compared to the first access nodes, thefirst access nodes being configured to sense an interference level inthe mobile communication system before transmitting and the first accessnodes being configured to suspend transmission if a sensed interferencelevel is above a transmission threshold.
 22. A method for determiningone or more transmission parameters for a first access node of a mobilecommunication system, the method comprising obtaining priority areainformation of a second access node in the mobile communication system,the second access node having priority access in a priority areacompared to the first access node; and determining the one or moretransmission parameters of the first access node based on the priorityarea information of the second access node and based on an accesscondition at a priority area boundary.
 23. The method of claim 22,wherein the second access node is comprised in the mobile communicationsystem.
 24. A machine readable medium including code, when executed, tocause a machine to perform a method for determining one or moretransmission parameters for a first access node of a mobilecommunication system, the method comprising obtaining priority areainformation of a second access node in the mobile communication system,the second access node having priority access in a priority areacompared to the first access node; and determining the one or moretransmission parameters of the first access node based on the priorityarea information of the second access node and based on an accesscondition at a priority area boundary.